Minimalism Monday – Getting rid of “stuff”

I’ve decided to start a new Monday focus – minimalism. I am really serious about making my life simpler and minimalism (at least a slight amount of minimalism) seems to get me everything I really need. Spend less, less “stuff”, less on my to-do list, more focus on family and well-being. So, this first post is going to focus on the WHY of it all.

I think the biggest reason I feel the need to simplify is that I am completely and totally overwhelmed. My life is OVERSTUFFED! My home is OVERSTUFFED. I have stuff piled up everywhere. And every time I clear off a surface, it is suddenly full of more and different STUFF. I am disorganized. My life is chaos. I just read, “Defending the Family Routine” on Motherlode and I realize that we have zero routine. I have a family schedule hanging on our wall from the latter part of the school year and I can count the times we stuck to the whole thing on one hand. Sigh…

So, I’m really trying to “hit reset” on my life – this article over at Elephant Journal could have been written by me. My key wake up call from it came in these words:

How you do anything, is how you do everything.

If your house is a disorganized mess, so then likely is your life. If your storage area is filled with boxes stuffed with your past, then you are probably also physically holding on to those emotions and wounds too.

If you are ignoring financial obligations, playing the role of the ostrich in your reality, most likely you are shortchanging yourself from prosperity in more than just your bank account.

If your calendar is so very full you have to check it just to see if you have time to make a phone call to a friend, there’s very good chance you are also experiencing adrenal fatigue.

If you consistently ignore the fundamental chores and repairs in your home, then you’re probably also not meeting your basic emotional needs. Just like the clogged bathroom sink you’ve avoided dealing with for a month, your emotions are likely starting to back up, and eventually, they too will flood.

Look around, see what’s in front of you, examine your household habits, then ask yourself— where else does that show up in my life?

The answer to that is EVERYWHERE! At least that is what I feel like right now. I am physically holding on to emotions and wounds from the past. I am shortchanging myself from prosperity in multiple places in my life. I am almost fearful of success. I am probably suffering from adrenal fatigue. Especially during the school year. And I do have emotions that are backing up…have been backing up for multiple years. It is the reason I can’t bring myself to watch movies or read books that have sadness in them – I feel like I may start crying and never, ever stop. I feel like I have so much fear and anxiety that I mask on a daily basis that if I were to ever let it go free it might never stop flowing out of me.

That last paragraph makes me sound like I’m on the edge of a breakdown. But, I don’t think I am. I think I’m pretty strong. I think I’m pretty capable of holding it all together even when everything is falling apart. I’ve proven that. But, I also think that holding it together has become tiresome and overwhelming. So, I’m going to follow the article’s advice…some of it seems a little mystical/new age for me, but I feel like I’ve skipped number one and two (the acknowledgement of the past pains and the “setting it on fire”) and gone to number three – the clean and polish – but, I still need to acknowledge and release.

The remainder I will do, but in a more biblical way I think. The saying “Let go and Let God.” comes to mind. And settling into God’s grace and plan for me seems a little more of a relief than trying to hold it together myself.

Well, that turned out to be a little more of a serious post than I first planned. But, it feels good to get that out. Release. Acknowledge. Let it Go. Move on.

Share this:

Like this:

Related

Published by Chico Speech Coach

Idea gardener. Public speaking and argument instructor. Dir. of Intercollegiate Speech and Debate at CSU Chico. I have been a Communications Studies instructor and an Intercollegiate Speech and Debate coach for over two decades. I love being able to give individuals a confident and effective voice they can use in their lives. In addition, I have always enjoyed research and writing and helping to develop ideas by guiding students to the sources that will grow those ideas into something special. Information Literacy is a key part of our technological society and I believe it makes for lifelong learners.
View all posts by Chico Speech Coach

Overstuffed is an excellent word. We are juggling balls as we walk forward – the key is to keep walking and not drop any, which is nigh impossible. From your post I am reminded of the word “elegance” which in computer programming means the most efficacious approach which is usually the simplest for the task at hand. So, may you live elegantly.

Oh…love the word “elegance.” Such a different thing for me to focus on and I love that it isn’t the ostentatious, overdressed form I would immediately jump to but the simplest way to achieve a goal. Thanks! 🙂 Have a great week!

“How you do anything, is how you do everything.” Wow, punch to the gut. I don’t clean well, so that translates to not doing other things well. Oh my.
I’ve been letting go of material things, and it sure does make me feel lighter! And at the same time, I’ve improved my eating habits, and letting go of extra weight.
Minimalism is growing on me.